Several Deridder Churches working on rehabilitation home

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - On Warren Street in Deridder you might see fresh dirt being upturned...and if you haven’t seen it, get ready to watch lives be changed on the property, thanks to a program put on by a few local churches.

“Cross Ties is for real people with real problems. We’re a support group that comes together to be there for one another, this will be our future site for Crossties, we’re coming together with some local churches here in Deridder to make this program happen,” Andy Williams, a Cross Ties volunteer said.

The program so far is being sponsored by Christ Church of Oakdale, Christway Church, and First Pentecostal Church, but of course this is just a starting point.

“This program started many years ago out of Oakdale, and now we’ve brought it to Deridder because of the need,” Eddie Ware, of Christ Church of Oakdale said.

“People get released from prison, it’s all to help them get established, we need more of a re-entry type program to help them get jobs and get on their feet, get situated,” Williams said.

This is a program meant to help those that normally have a difficult time finding help.

“There’s no substantial program in this location to help with the rehabilitation. We see the endless circles, the endless cycles. Since cross ties has been really active, we’re seeing people reach true recovery, becoming a good group. There’s accountability, a difference in people’s lives,” Chance Lewis, the associate pastor at First Pentecostal Church said.

Giving up on the participants is simply not an option, as many of these preachers have pointed out.

“The church exists to help people, or should exist to help people, and it’s about the church, not my church or his church but the church. Whether you’re religious or not, you should want to help your neighbor and help those around you. It’s so sad to see that there are people that society literally gives up on, and so it’s great to have programs like this where they say we aren’t gonna give up on anybody, we’re going to help them get back on their feet and become productive citizens,” Lewis said.

It takes a special person to be able to help those who are down on their luck and struggling with addiction. Real people suffer, and real people recover, when given the correct tools.

“It’s real people helping real people. Because if you’ve never been at that place where you’re willing to steal from your granny to get your next high you can’t help someone who is,” Vic Warrick, pastor of Christway Church said.

“It can be easy to sit on the pews and call yourself a Christian and ignore this, but that’s not what we want to do or who we want to be,” Lewis said.

All the pastors want everyone to know that this is a community based project, and they need the community’s help to be successful.

“If you don’t have money to give, give your time. Everyone has time to give. If you have a skill that you can help with, building or whatever...give that,” Lewis said.

“Pick up a shovel, it’s needed. If you can pick up a limb it’s needed. Don’t feel that your part is too small,” Warrick said.

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